Straighten your teeth using either traditional metal braces or Invisalign for optimal results. Your dentist should provide a tailored plan of treatment.
Invisalign trays occupy a limited space in your mouth, which may result in minor lisps for some patients; this should resolve itself with practice speaking while wearing them.
Take Out Your Aligners Before Meals
If you have ever worn braces, then you understand the need to limit certain foods and drinks in your diet. With Invisalign however, no changes need to be made as such; just ensure to remove your aligners prior to every meal or snack.
Due to hard or sticky foods being harmful, beverages like coffee or wine could potentially stain them and stain your aligners permanently.
When it’s time for meals, take your aligners out and store them back in their case. Additionally, it is a good practice to rinse your mouth after finishing eating and brush your teeth before reinserting your aligners back in. If this becomes difficult due to forgetfulness, keep them by your bedside table so you don’t forget when meal time arrives; that way you will meet Invisalign’s 22 hours daily wear recommendation.
Brush Your Teeth After Every Meal
For Invisalign treatment to be successful, it’s essential that you prioritize brushing and flossing after every meal. This helps eliminate bacteria that could otherwise lead to dental hygiene problems as well as maintain the overall health of your gums and teeth.
Clear aligners rarely stain, but it is still beneficial to carry around a toothbrush at all times in order to clean your trays when necessary. This will help remove food and beverage stains from their plastic surface before they discolor over time.
Tray Minder can also help keep your aligners clean by reminding you to replace them at their prescribed times – ensuring you meet the 22-hour wear requirement necessary for treatment to take effect.
Those experiencing discomfort while wearing their Invisalign trays should focus on eating soft foods and drinking cold beverages to allow their teeth to adjust and relieve any pain caused by tooth movement. Chewing on Movemint or “chewies” may also provide relief as they stimulate nutrient-rich blood flow to your mouth while acting as natural pain relievers.
Schedule Out Time For Meals
Keep this in mind when wearing Invisalign: the trays only work if they stay in your mouth for 20-22 hours per day, a hard and fast rule which must be observed if you want your treatment completed on schedule.
If you tend to eat on the go, it may be beneficial to set aside more time for meals and snacks. This will allow you to savor each bite of breakfast, lunch and dinner while still meeting your wear time requirements. Consider investing in a clear aligner case complete with travel toothbrush, toothpaste and floss so that you can brush and floss prior to inserting Invisalign into your mouth again.
Additionally, if you tend to enjoy frequent sips of coffee or tea throughout the day, attempt to curb this habit in order to maintain optimal wear time. Finally, if snacking between meals becomes a habitual practice for you, look to increase calorie-dense foods such as protein into your diet in order to make up for any deficits in wear time.
Keep Track of Your Daily Wear Time
Invisalign treatment requires wearing it 22 hours each day in order to achieve results, which may seem daunting but is still doable with just some small lifestyle adjustments.
Always remove your aligners when brushing, drinking, eating or cleaning in order to keep them in great condition and protect them from becoming damaged or dirty. Brushes or mouthwash that do not contain colorants such as dyes may stain them as this could stain their appearance over time.
Hot water can easily damage aligners, as this will change their shape and make them ineffective at straightening teeth. Furthermore, any food or drinks other than water may stain your aligners permanently and must also be kept out.
Finally, to keep your aligners effective and comfortable during wear you should store them in a cool, dry and clean case when not being worn – this will prevent discoloration while helping ensure they remain effective and comfortable during your wear time.
Take Out Your Aligners Before Bed
Prior to bed, removing your aligners is an integral part of a healthy daily routine. Doing so allows your gums and mouth to adjust to having them in, potentially relieving any discomfort caused by their pressure on the teeth. Sleeping with them on can increase nocturnal salivation or drooling which may be uncomfortable; additionally, leaving them on may allow bacteria build-up which could have detrimental effects on both gum health and tooth alignment.
Rinsing your aligners regularly throughout the day is another good habit to get into, as doing so will help prevent bacteria build-up and discoloration from developing over time. Rinsing can easily fit into any day-to-day routine by placing near a sink for just seconds at any convenient time of day – helping to preserve results of Invisalign treatment!